George j



(No Md 1.)

e G. J. B. RODWELL & L. GARGARE.

. SIGN LETTER.

Nm 563,312. mqnxed July 7, 1896.

A y/M6 INYTORS.

WITNESSES;

A BY fw Z v y ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J. B. ROD'WELL, OF BUFFALO, AND LOUIS GARGARE, OF NEWr YORK, N. Y.;'SAID GARGARE ASSIGNOR TO SAID RODVELL.

SIGN-LETTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,312, dated July 7, 1896.

Application filed October 10, 1895. Serial No. 565,235. (No model.)

T0 all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE J. B. ROD- WELL, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie, and LOUIS GARGARE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sign-Letters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of sign letters or symbols designed to be attached to the glass panes of windows and doors, and more particularly to letters of this character which are secured to the inside of the pane. Such letters are commonly fastened to the glass pane by cement applied to their front or obverse side. In cleaning windows or doors having such sign-letters, water flows over or drips upon the letters, dissolving or softening the attaching-cement in the course of time, and eventually allowing the letters to become detached from the pane.

Our invention has for its object to protect the cement against the action of any water or moisture to which the letter may be eX- posed, so as to prevent the detachment of the letter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a front view of our improved sign-letter, showing the same applied to the inner side of a pane of glass. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section in line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the letter applied to a pane of glass.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is a pane of glass or other transparent plate, and B the sign-letter, secured to the inner side of the pane. The letter is preferably stamped out of thin sheet metal, such as copper or brass, and the portion or portions c thereof which form the body of the letter are raised and adapted to bear with ltheir faces against the inner surface of the glass pane and be secured to the latter by a suitable cement, so as to firmly fasten the letter to the glass. The marginal portion d of the letter is depressed below the body portions c, or, in other Words, is arranged in rear of the plane of said body portion, so as to form a depressed fange or rim around the edge of the letter and around the opening or loop thereof, if the letter is one having such an opening, such as the letters R, 1), O, and B The front face of the depressed fiange d forms with the opposin g inner surface of the pane A a recess or cavity which extends around the edge of the letter and the edge of its opening, and in this recess is arranged a protecting filling e, of red lead or other suitable material, which is impervious to moisture. This impervious filling extends entirely around the letter and effectually seals the edge thereof, excluding water and moisture from the cement applied to the face of the raised body portion or portions of the letter, and protecting the same from the disintegrating action of moisture, thereby reliably fatening the letter to the pane and rendering its attachment practically permanent.

The raised body portion of the letter is preferably gilded or embossed With an ornamental design, as shown in the drawings, and in this case the embossments or protuberances form the raised portions c, which bear against the inner side of the glass pane and which are cemented to the same. When the body of the letter is embossed, the raised portions c are preferably highly polished to produce a brilliant or sparkling effect, and the depressed portions of the body are left dull.

In applying our improved letter to a glass pane or transparent plate the raised body portions of the letter are coated with a suitable transparent cement, the marginal groove or depression formed by the depressed flange d of the letter is filled with red lead or other suitable impervious material, and the letter is then pressed with its face or obverse side against the pane, the cement setting quickly and fastening the letter to the pane. Any superflous filling material which is squeezed outward beyond the depressed fiange of the letter in applying the same is removed by running a putty-knife or other suitable ilnplement around the edge of the letter.

The outer edge of the depressed flange d does not bear against the glass pane, but is separated therefrom, as shown, so as to leave the outer portion of the recess open. This construction permits additional'material to ICO be filled in the recess after the letter has been cemented to the pane, in case portions of the recess have not been properly filled.

"When sign-letters of this character are constructed of thin sheet metal, it is practically impossible to stamp the same perfectly flat or level, and when such letters are cemented to the glass pane by a raised marginal flange which bears against the pane, as distinguished from the flange of our letter, which is separated from the pane, the flange, owing to its unevenness, springs away from the pane at different points, rendering the letter unsiglltly.

In our improved sign-letter any inequalities of the depressed ilange are compensated for by the impervious filling e., and the latter covers the front face of the iange and presents a perfectly lat and smooth front surface, thus rendering the letter sightly in appearance.

lVe claim as our inventionl. A sign letter or character provided on its face or obverse side with a salient body portion or portions adapted to be cemented to a transparent plate and with a marginal rim or flange which has its outer edge depressed below said salient body portion and forms a marginal recess or cavity which opens outwardly or away from said body portion, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a transparent plate,` of a sign letter or character provided on its face or obverse side with a salient body portion or portions which are cemented to said transparent plate and with a marginali-im or [lange which is depressed below said salient body portions, forming with the opposing side of the plate a recess extending around the edge of the letter, and an impervious filling arranged in said recess whereby the :raised cemented portions of the letter within the de pressed rim are protected, substantially as set forth.

fitness our hands this ith day of October, 1895.

GEORGE J. B. RODXVELL. LOUIS GARGARE.

lVitnesses:

NV. M. FRANKE, SAML. J. BLACK. 

